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ihavereturned's avatar

Are there any Nassim Taleb fans here?

Asked by ihavereturned (711points) December 21st, 2019

Personally I love his work. I most recently read Skin in the Game and I was blown away. I’ll give some ideas that I found interesting:

Don’t look the part: if you need to get a surgery and you have two choices of doctors. Between one that looks like a butcher who doesn’t display his degree on his wall because he’s embarrassed of going to a local school, or a Harvard educated slick looking doctor who looks like he could play one in a movie. You pick the butcher because he had to overcome more in terms of perception to get to the same position, thus he must be more skilled.

Minority rule: the most intolerant run the place. For example, a single child has peanut allergies in a school, then nobody can eat peanuts. People who can eat peanuts are less harmed than he who is allergic. Use this to predict the popularity of non-GMOs and organic food in the future.

Opinions vs reality: he gives a story about an awards ceremony in New York for restaurants in manhattan. Those who won awards ended up going out of business, because they focussed on the opinions of others instead of reality (customers)

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5 Answers

Yellowdog's avatar

It sounds so much like reality. Very insightful. I will check this out. Thanks.

rebbel's avatar

I think I agree.
“the most intolerant run the place.”

ihavereturned's avatar

@Yellowdog Taleb is a very perceptive and intelligent person. Would recommend any of his work!

Yellowdog's avatar

Kind of reminds me of the Ray Bradbury story “The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matissee.

A dull and boring philosopher becomes famous in the burgeoning Avant Garde movement precisely because he is boring.

ihavereturned's avatar

Is Taleb the boring philosopher? What about him do you find boring?

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